Are you a four-point someone??

We are again in that period of one to one and half months, where we have people going mad around us , talking about their successes, throwing unimaginable promises about their vision and mission, issuing apologies (though they don't sound apologetic actually). Different may be the ways, but the aim is common .

No, this post has nothing to do with the forthcoming General elections. It is only about the Annual Employee appraisal 'Mela' in our firms.Each individual has his/her own strategies/tactics to become at least a four-pointer on a scale of 5 in their appraisals.

The beginning of this festival can be determined by a sudden change in the peak hours. The T51s and 19Bs (Local Buses)by 7-7:30 am in the mornings,which had been nearly empty the previous days, suddenly won't have even space to have their automatic doors closed. Yes, people, all of a sudden start adhering to the office timelines(start time only) by waking up before the alarm clock rings and reaching office even before the cleaning staff and security start to the office. Though they start early to office, they make sure that they leave only after the last light in their cabin goes off.

Though we all believe in humility and have been asked to be so by our parents, when it comes to the appraisal season,people start believing in the opposite i.e.show-offs as the only way to catch 'the eye' . People start preparing self-assessment statistical reports of what milestones they had achieved, their contributions and bla bla . If someone asks his colleague as to why he leaves late everyday from office(yes, it indeed should not be asked), then a beeper goes ringing in their mind like 'Kanna Laddu thinna aasaiya?'. Having got the opportunity they had been looking for, they then start boasting about how difficult the work is assigned to them and how they are extending their work hours and all to save the supervisor and the project and the company and in turn our Indian economy. Phew! Some even go to the extent of taking credit of what someone else did and at the worst case raising accusations .

There are other sets of people who adopt a different harmless strategy. They can be seen mostly at the rear end of the long serpentine queues to get their skill certified for the big occasion. It is the time when tatkal counters are free, online tatkal bookings are hassle-free, mobile operators get a beating , because, all people aim for, is a PC in the test centre and once they get that, they know, 'Ella pughazum Dumps ke'!! Some others differ slightly by organizing trainings on how to reboot a windows PC, attending conferences on Win 95 and showing how indispensable they are.

When we were in school, we were told not to compare ourselves with our friends, be in the luxuries, they have or the marks they get. I still remember an occurrence in my 7th standard where I got 63 in my English II paper, but was the class 2nd due to some technical reasons :). When I reached home that evening,my parents scolded me for the low marks and when I told them I was the class 2nd, I was told not to feel proud for that and never ever judge my results based on comparison. In complete contrary to what we were taught,when everything is done and dusted after the appraisal results are out, everyone judges where they stand, by comparing others and feels either gutted or happy.

Thus, people could be seen doing many similar things intentionally in this season of competition just to achieve their intentions. Thinking about all this, makes me remember a verse quoted by the 'Appraiser of Appraisers' , Lord Krishna,

"Karmanye Vadhikaraste Ma Phaleshu Kadachana,

Ma Karma Phala Hetur Bhurma Tey Sangostva Akarmani"

Meaning: Do your duty and be detached from its outcome, do not be driven by the end product, enjoy the process of getting there.

So, I have done the duty of writing this blog and I am not bothered about its outcome. Am I? Er, no! I am planning to send this article to the concerned and show how good I am at observing people and my study on appraisals. After all, I too want to be a four point someone.:P Don't you?